My Last "Cool Tech Newsy Item" Post

So you completed a year of Computer Science! Congratulations. That fact alone has separated yourself from many other high schools in the United States. I hope you have enjoyed your experience and that you've found it interesting, rewarding, and fun. My perspective is that CS is here to stay. It is my belief that every career, even day to day life will be governed by computers. Some of you may be interested in pursuing CS further, maybe even as a career. Others may be "done" with programming and CS. I strongly encourage everyone to pursue it further. Knowing more about how coding works, how technology impacts our society will make you more marketable as a prospective employee, and an wise and productive member of our society. Tech is still in its infancy in my opinion. Do we limit technology? Should our government have full access to our data? What about private companies? Unfettered technology might not be something that we want. It is my sincere hope that you will continue to think crittically about technology. What's cool? What's not? And how do we, as a society and as individuals, decide what's cool and what's dangerous? How do we put limits on things that might be problematic? Old, retiring teachers frequently say "our future is in the hands of the youth." I believe that your generation will be the one that defines the limits of technology. There's a lot in our world these days that need your help to solve: The environment, the economy, and yes, technology. I personally think everyone in this room will be excellent stewards of the future. Keep thinking, keep exploring, keep asking tough, relevant questions.

Thank you for making my last year at Carmel High such an enjoyable one.



Credits:
https://thesassway.com/what-makes-computer-science-interesting/

Earpod Earrings

Many people wear earrings all day, yet they also jam in a pair of earbuds when listening to music. The folks at German startup Nova Products figured, "Why not just combine the two?". Their Nova H1 Audio Earrings are the result. Sold in sets of two, each 7-gram earring has a solid silver body/clip along with a real pearl. Music is transmitted by Bluetooth from a paired smartphone to the H1s, which reportedly channel audio directly from an integrated speaker into the ear canal. Because the lobe-mounted earrings aren't actually in the ear canals, though, users are still able to hear the sounds of their environment. Users can also take phone calls via the H1s, with two microphones in each earring both picking up the wearer's voice and helping to cancel out wind noise. Incoming calls are accepted by pressing a button on the back of either earring. That button can also be used to play or skip songs.

One charge of the H1s' batteries is claimed to be good for over three hours of music playback. They can be juiced up on the go using an included charging case which incorporates a 320-mAh battery of its own, that should be good for at least five earring-charges. The Nova H1 Audio Earrings are currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, where they're being offered in the backer's choice of clip-ons or studs, and in either pure or gold-plated silver. Pledges start at about $355. Assuming they reach production, shipping is estimated to take place this September.



Credits:
https://newatlas.com/wearables/nova-h1-audio-earrings/

Velox -Amphibious Robot

Velox is a drone, generator, and robotic animal all in one. It can cover nearly every type of terrain on land and make way through water, transitioning seamlessly between the two different environments. Since it was initially designed to be a green generator, it can charge itself as it moves. Lately, there’s been lots of news with the Boston Dynamics family of robots. There’s the four-legged Cheetah that can do backflips, Spot working with the police and in clinics helping out with the coronavirus pandemic, Atlas, who can dance better than most people, and Handle diligently moving parcels. Velox is different. For one, it has no legs. Yet, it can crawl and swim. Its creepy and graceful mobility comes from a pair of undulating fins that were designed to harness the power of the ocean.

The evolution of generator to amphibious robot caught the attention of investors like the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. They wanted a robot that could traverse different types of terrain with ease. Such institutions see Velox as the ultimate tool for surveillance missions thanks to its stealth characteristics. Plus, it’s resistant to entanglement in aquatic debris and can crawl on sand, snow, and ice. Once Pliant Energy Systems decided to make a robot, it looked to the animal kingdom for inspiration. Velox’s potential goes beyond a well-capable surveillance drone. The team envisions it can serve as a propulsion system for divers, drag victims out of frozen water, and replace traditional boat propellers on vehicles that need to plow through debris-filled waters. The machine is scalable, so the possibilities are endless!



Credits:

S or N: Fi Smart Dog Collar

It was inevitable that the internet of things would eventually make its way into the things we buy for our dogs. It shouldn't be surprising -- we already spoil our best friends with plush beds, bully sticks and winter coats, so it's natural they too should benefit when we make our homes smarter. These connected pet products can range from smart doggie doors and doorbells to a camera that can fling treats to a bored pup, but the Fi Series 2 smart collar is a better starting point for the always-online dog.

Fi goes a step further than some woof-centric wearables by combining a collar (something every dog person needs) with a smart device. Like its direct competitors, its star selling point is a location-tracking feature that connects to a mobile app. Whether you have an escape-prone puppy or a slower senior dog, knowing when your pooch is on the run, or even on a wander, can be life-saving information for you both. I never put the Fi to that ultimate test during the two weeks that my dog wore it, but I did become engrossed with the location data it delivered. Just note that because the GPS tracking feature uses AT&T's LTE network, you'll need to live in an area with sufficient AT&T service to fully use the collar.



Wanna sponsor Zack's Kickstarter? 

Credits:
https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/fi-series-2-smart-collar-review-peace-of-mind-for-an-active-dog-and-its-busy-human/

"Dog Door" on Mars is Just a Weird Rock

It looks like a tiny doorway that leads to an underground Martian tomb — but it’s probably just old sand. NASA’s Curiosity rover has been studying Mars’ surface features for just more than 10 years and observed a foot-high topographical feature on Mount Sharp last week. A photo of the area was published on NASA’s public gallery page. Ashwin Vasavada, a project scientist in the Mars Science Laboratory, told Gizmodo in a report published today that the region was formed by ancient sand dunes that created sandstone outcroppings over time. The “door” is most likely a small fracture.

The Curiosity rover found the Mars "door" on May 7 while imaging a mound known as the East Cliffs in the Gale Crater, which the rover has been exploring since its landing in 2012. The rover used its Mastcam instrument to take the image of the strange fissure, which is only 12 inches (30 centimeters) tall and 16 inches (40 centimeters) wide, NASA said in a statement. Clearly, humans would have difficulties entering the cliff through this "door," which is why the NASA team dubbed it only the "dog door." Commenting on the internet frenzy surrounding the discovery of the "door", the Curiosity team said on Twitter that the tendency of a human brain to look for patterns that make sense in ambiguous shapes (called "pareidolia"), is behind the internet sensation.



Credits:

https://andoria.one/mars-dog-door-found-by-curiosity-rover-is-just-a-weird-rock/

Harley Davidson Makes an E Bike

Harley-Davidson this week launched its second-generation Serial 1 electric bikes(Opens in a new window) complete with Google Cloud connectivity. Developed in partnership with Google Cloud, the updated bikes promise improved convenience, safety, and security for riders, as well as turn-by-turn navigation and route planning thanks to Google. "We are thrilled that Google Cloud has selected Serial 1 as an e-mobility partner," Harley-Davidson brand director Aaron Frank said in a statement(Opens in a new window), adding that the new software solution enables "predictive, proactive, and intelligent features." At the center of this partnership is the Serial 1 mobile app(Opens in a new window), which acts as a ride assistant for your e-bike, tracking, monitoring, and digitally locking the two-wheeler; providing Google Maps navigation and cycle-specific routes; and sharing post-ride performance data.

As The Verge pointed out(Opens in a new window), most e-bikes rely on Bluetooth to connect to a smartphone application. Serial 1 bicycles, however, use cellular and GPS technology, as well as Bluetooth, to keep tabs on their ride. Plus, all new Serial 1 /CTY e-bikes (Rush, Rush Step-Thru, and Mosh) come equipped with a USB-C charging cable—housed beneath the handlebar stem—to keep your handset battery topped up while you're riding and running the app. born in 2018 as a skunkworks project inside the company's Project Development Center, where a small group of enthusiasts worked with a single focus: to design and develop the best and most capable electric bike.



Credits:
https://www.pcmag.com/news/harley-davidsons-latest-serial-1-e-bikes-are-connected-to-google-cloud

S or N Groomamatic: Automatic Cat Brusher

The only smart cat brush, developed and patented by catloving engineers from Germany (Europe). When a cat approaches, it automatically starts and selects the correct direction of rotation. When the cat leaves, the brush stops turning. The positive influence of massages and coat care on animals has been scientifically proven for years. Automatic brushes are already used in the barn to increase the well-being of cows. Not only are the cows more relaxed and balanced, but also the quality and quantity of the milk they produce is positively influenced. Cats also love to be brushed. That's why we have developed the world's first automatic cat brush to enrich the lives of cats and make life easier for cat owners.

The Groomatic must be safe not only for cats, but also for small children. So that nothing can happen to them, the brush has a protective mechanism. This switches the brush off immediately as soon as you try to hold it or block it. Sometimes cats come into the house with wet fur. So that also in this case nothing can happen, the Groomatic is insensitive to moisture. Cats like to be brushed only in the direction of growth of the coat. Therefore, the brush has sensors. These detect from which direction the cat approaches and the brush automatically selects the correct direction of rotation. If the cat is in a distance of about 5 inches (15cm) the rotation of the brush starts gently. If the cat leaves this area, the brush stops rotating.

Click here for the videoi

Credits:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/743292578/groomatictm-automatic-cat-brush